Unknown Fact
by whenthemarshmallowmettheslayer
Summary: Anakin Skywalker, the hero with no fear, died the very second Darth Vader was born.
1. Chapter 1

"You came to arrest him," Anakin reminded Mace before tightening his grip on Mace's lightsaber arm. "He has to stand trial." Anakin pleaded with the Jedi Master. His desperation was easy to hear in his voice to all except Windu apparently. (Anakin really should not have been surprised by that.)

"A trail would be a joke. He controls the courts. He controls the Senate." That was true but Anakin needed him alive. He had lost too much - his mother to the Tusken Raiders because he hadn't arrived early enough, Ahsoka to the Order that, unjustly, had turned their backs on her when she needed them the most- he would not lose Padme and their child too. While Palpatine may control the courts and the Senate the Sith did not control the Jedi and that was what mattered. Couldn't Windu see that?

"So are you going to kill them too?" Anakin questioned Mace incredulously. "Like he said you would." Mace yanked his arm free of Anakin's ever tightening grip. Anakin frowned. He needed to find another way to hold Mace back from killing Palpatine as he tried reasoning with the man.

"He's too dangerous to be left alive. If you could have taken out Dooku alive, would you have?"  
Anakin's face swept blank and Anakin controlled the urge to stumble back in shock. He had had the chance to take Dooku in alive and he chose not to because Palpatine - a Sith- had told him not to. Kriff. That realization somehow hurt more than his arm getting chopped off.

"That was different-"

"You can explain the difference after his death." Mace lifted his lightsaber to strike down Anakin's only hope of saving Padme and suddenly Anakin Skywalker, the hero with no fear, knew no more.

When Anakin comes to he's staring at himself. He honestly can't help it because it's not like he's  
Looking at the mirror in in a refresher. No, he's staring at his actually self. Like a ...what was saying the he had heard be used to describe the feeling of using death sticks by that underage Twi'lek? An out of body experience; that was it. Anakin was having what he could only describe as a out of body experience. That or another vision in his dreams.

Anakin hoped it was the former because he could surely change (like he was going to do for Padme's death he had seen in his previous visions) what was happening now. (If it was an just a vision.) Anakin watched in disgust as his….body dropped to floor and bowed his head as Palpatine commanded him to do.

"It is your will to join your destiny forever with the Order of the Sith Lords?" There was a kriff that went along with that no.

"Yes." No it was not Anakin's destiny to join the Sith. He was suppose to destroy the Sith and bring balance to the force. To the galaxy. Kriff sakes let this be another vision, Anakin begged silently. A vision he would hopefully be waking up from any minute now.

"Then it is done. You are now one of the Dark Lords of the Sith. From this day forward, the truth of you, my apprentice-"

"I'm not you apprentice," Anakin snarled at the two occupants of the room. Wait a second. Two occupants of the room. What happened to Mace. Anakin suddenly had a bad feeling. Oh force. Anyone who knew them both knew they did not get along but Anakin didn't want him dead.

"now and forevermore, will be Darth Vader." Vader? What exactly did Vader mean?

...Well least it sounded better than Darth Maul.

"Thank you, Master."

"Every single Jedi, including your friend Obi-Wan Kenobi, have been revealed as enemies of Republic. You understand that, don't you?" Palpatine asked in that kindly (now sickening) grandfather voice of his.

Oh I understand perfectly, Anakin thought. The Jedi are not enemies of the Republic they're your enemies. Force how could he had trusted this man more than he had trusted his fellow Jedi. More than Obi-Wan? Because he was the only, besides Padme and Artoo, one that freely showed that he cared about you, Anakin realised. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka did care about him (and him them) but they were bound to Jedi code. Well had been in Ahsoka's case.

"Yes, my Master."

"The Jedi are relentless. If they are destroyed to the last being, there will be civil war without end. To sterilize the Jedi Temple will be your first task. Do you what must be done, Lord Vader."

"I always have, my Master." Sterilize the Jedi Temple? Anakin was going to be sick. Thankfully most of the Jedi were not currently residing in Temple but what was sickened Anakin was the fact the innocent youngling were going to 'sterilized.' It may not be Jedi of me but I do hope you die slowly in agony, Anakin thought.

"Do not hesitate. Show no mercy. Leave no living creature behind. Only then will you be strong enough with the dark side to save Padme." Anakin did want to save Padme but to kill innocent younglings and Jedi who made it their lives effort to bring peace to the galaxy? Anakin knew Padme wouldn't want him to do that to save her. So what in kriff was his other self thinking exactly.

"What of the other Jedi?" Anakin perked up at that question.

"Leave them to me. After you finished at the Temple, your second task will be the Separatist leadership, in their 'secret bunker' on Mustafar. When you kill them all, the Sith will rule the galaxy once more, and we shall have peace. Forever. Rise, Darth Vader."

Anakin had a bad feeling about this.

* * *

 **A/N: I own nothing. If I did there would be an Ahsoka live action movie by now.**

 **Four things you need to know:**

 **1\. This was not my plot bunny. It was actually minhui who came up with it and gave me the permission to write it.**

 **2\. No one can see Anakin yet. Force users will be able to see Anakin later in the story though.**

 **3\. I based it mostly on Matthew Stover's novel Revenge of Sith instead of watching the actually Revenge of Sith because it was quicker (my parents own the book as well as the movie).**

 **4\. Updates depend on me not angering my parents because if I do anger them they'll turn off the internet for my laptop. :(**


	2. Chapter 2

The last few hours of Anakin's life were something of nightmare. It could not be conveyed how much Anakin wished and was still, adamantly (because of the many things that made Anakin himself was stubbornness - to the point Obi-Wan had declared that Anakin was going to be the death of him), wishing was a nightmare.

A nightmare filled of watching his body swearing to become two things that were on Anakin's list of things he ha- disliked with a passion as Obi-Wan (ever the great negotiator) would put it. Anakin had watched helpless (another thing Anakin disliked with a passion) as his own body swore to become the very thing he'd been fighting for years. The thing - well people actually- that had killed Qui- Gon. The man that had freed him and tried to free his mom.

The second thing was that by becoming a Sith, by becoming Darth Vader his body had agreed to become a slave to the Dark Side. Because that was what Siths really were.

Slaves.

To power and their emotions.

Anakin felt like putting his head into his hands.

This had been the worst hours of his life. Even his own mother's death, the nightmares of Padme dying had nothing on this.

Anakin's thoughts were interrupted as he noted Darth Vader swinging out of the starfighter of that had brought them to Mustafar and started making his way to the Separatist compound. Anakin felt honest pity for the Separatist hiding in there. Maybe it was because of the slaughter he had been forced to bear witness too - the blonde youngling face of trust that had turned into a second of disbelief before pain painted his face as he felt the emitter of Anakin's now Darth Vader's lightsaber - in the last few hours.

Hours.

That was how long it took to raze the Jedi temple, for the Jedi to fall *so* easily because they trusted him and the clones.

They trust was misplaced and now what was left of the Jedi Order was corpses and destruction. And it had only taken hours for twenty five thousand years of history.

Of belief.

Of livelihood.

Of lives of Jedi Knights. Peacekeepers who been forced into slowly becoming something else because of this *stupid* war.

All the innocent children taken away from their homes, from their families. Promised that they would be safe. Cared for only to be wiped from the galaxy.

And Darth Vader - no, Anakin himself played a hand in it.

Anakin wondered briefly as a separatist welcomed Lord Vader if Qui-Gon had never found him on Tatooine...if Obi-Wan had never trained him would anyone of this had still happened?

The sad, sick part was yes. Anakin realized as the separatist from earlier cried out that Darth Vader was Anakin Skywalker. No he is not me Anakin wanted to snarl out but didn't. What was the point? No one could hear him. No one could see him. And there was nothing he could do to save any one of them from Darth Vader. He would have saved them if he could even if they were separatist.

Darth Vader smiled at the separatist declaration. It was not warm nor comforting but something that brought chills. Anakin grimaced. He never knew he could make such an a expression before.

"The resemblance," Darth Vader started slowly (Why were all Sith so dramatic? Anakin wondered.) "is deceptive."

Anakin would have snorted at the understatement - and yes, that was a understatement if there ever was one - if he wasn't being forced to watch slaughter and there be nothing he could do.

Anakin felt two emotions as Padme ran towards Darth Vader and fell into into the Sith's arms.

Relief and dread.

Relief at seeing her and dread because she was now crossfire. What irony would it be that by becoming a Sith to save her life he - well, Darth Vader killed her? Yes. Anakin had no delusions. The galaxy was the cruel.

Was there possibly that 'Darth Vader' could love Padme as much as Anakin loved her? Anakin wondered this as he watched himself comfort his tearful wife. Anakin felt a pang in his chest.  
Why was she crying? How much did she know? And how much of it was true? (Anakin was sure Palpatine had told the Senate and public a lie about why the Jedi had been slaughtered as if they were animals instead of the peacekeepers of the Republic.)

"It wasn't that, my love, it was- oh Anakin, he said such terrible things about you!" Padme cried out. Anakin narrowed his eyes in sync with Darth Vader. Anakin winced at that realization.

Who had told Padme the truth that was as ugly as a Hutt?

Darth Vader smiled down on Padme who eyes were raw and red from crying. The smile wasn't warm but it wasn't as cold, as twisted as previous one.

"About me? Who would want to say bad things about me?" Anakin snorted at that while Vader chuckled darkly. "Who would dare?"

How can you not see how different we are Padme? I'm not that arrogant! I'd be the first one to complain about Mace Windu saying harsh things ...if he was still alive.

"Well you can add me behind the person who told her truth," Anakin told Vader but neither Vader and Padme showed any signs of hearing him. Anakin was really getting frustrated at whatever the kriff this was.

"Obi-Wan." Padme told Vader as she started wiping away her tears. "He said- he told me you turned to the darkside, that you murdered Jedi...even younglings.."

"Padme you been a politician since you were fourteen. I know you're emotionally and probably don't want to see it but this isn't me. Get away from Vader while you can. Go hide with Obi-Wan. He'll protect you from Vader." Anakin begged her but was still unheard.

"Obi-Wan's alive?" Darth Vader questioned in a cold voice.

Anakin snorted. "You just been asked by my wife if you had murdered Jedi and younglings and that your reply? It's like you want her to figure out the truth…. which is good for me. Please do carry on sith."

"Y-yes he, he said he was looking for you…"  
"Did you tell him where I am?" Anakin could hear the anger in the question.

"Padme you need to get away from him. He's a ticking time bomb." Like the last two times Anakin Skywalker was not heard. It hurt more than losing his hand by Dooku.

"No, Anakin! He wants to kill you. I didn't tell him anything- I wouldn't." Even now Padme was still loyal to him.

"Too bad."

"Anakin, what-?"

"He's a traitor, Padme. He's an enemy of the state." Anakin snorted at that. Obi-Wan being called an enemy of the Federation. If this wasn't so serious Anakin might have laughed at the statement. If anyone were enemies of the Republic it was Palpatine and Vader.

"Stop it," Padme commanded Vader. "Stop talking like that. You're frightening me," she confessed with fresh tears starting to fall from her eyes.

He was hurting her. Not with actual bodily harm but with how he acted. Hurting her was something Anakin had never wanted because he was in love with her. Vader might think he fell to the darkside because of Padme but he had done it for power otherwise he wouldn't be hurting their wife so.

"It's like-it's like I don't even know who you are anymore…." Even though she wasn't talking to him - the real him, not Vader- his heart was still breaking.

"I'm the man who loves you." It might have been believed more if Vader hadn't said that through clenched teeth. "I'm the man man who would do anything to protect you. Everything I've done, I have done for you."

"Anakin," Padme whispered his name to Vader. Her horror easily heard. "...what have you done?"

Anakin was torn between wanting Vader to answer that and not to answer. If Padme knew the truth surely his sensibly wife would get as far away from his Sith self as possible. But if Padme knew the truth it would never be same again when it came to them. It would be too much for her. Too far.

"What I have done is bring peace to the Republic." Anakin snorted at himself again. The Republic wasn't even a Republic anymore least with Palpatine controlling it like the dictator the Sith Master was.

"The Republic is dead." She whispered brokenly. "You killed it. You and Palpatine." Suddenly Anakin thought of the picnic they had on Naboo when Padme was under Anakin's protection when he had only been a padawan. Had it all been leading up to this?

"It needed to die."

"Anakin, can we just…. go? Please. Let's leave. Together. Now. Before you- before something happens-" She still loved him- loved Vader- after he had slaughtered the Jedi and younglings and had killed the Republic she loved. It truly was more than he deserved. His eyes burnt but he still didn't cry.

"Nothing will happen. Nothing can happen. Let Palpatine call himself Emperor. Let him. He can do the dirty work, all the messy, brutal oppression it'll take unite the galaxy forever- unite it against him. He'll make himself the most hated man in history. And when the time is right, we'll throw him down-"

"Anakin, stop-" Yes please do shut up now since Padme knows your evil there's no point in hurting her anymore.

"Don't you see? We'll be heroes. The whole galaxy will love us, and we will rule. Together." Did memory loss come with turning to the darkside? Because Anakin was starting to think that it did. Because it had to be that or Vader was idiot if he could get Padme turn against every moral she held to her heart. Padme wasn't just smart, just, and beautiful she was also just as stubborn as Anakin. Something Anakin loved and felt annoyance at. Padme would not be that easy to turn.

"Please stop- Anakin, please, stop I can't stand it-"

"You." Darth Vader and Anakin's attention were no longer on their wife but on the man standing on the Padme's ship landing ramp. Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"Padme. Move away from him." Yes! Someone to tell her to get away from Vader that she could actually hear.

Padme whirled around to face Obi-Wan. "Obi-Wan? No!" Sithspit. Anakin had forgotten to account his wife stubbornness and loyalty to him even though him wasn't him.

"You." Vader growled. "You brought him here." The words he had described Vader earlier came back to Anakin in this moment. Ticking time bomb. Sithspit.

Padme turned around to face Vader who, Anakin noted, eyes had turned a sickly shade of yellow and red. Sith eyes. "Anakin?"

"Get her out of here!" Anakin yelled at Obi-Wan who didn't -couldn't?- hear him. With that Anakin then started cursing Huttese which also was not heard by anyone.

"Padme move away. He is not who you think he is. He will harm you."

"Yes he will. So for once don't be stubborn or loyal. Listen to reason Padme," Anakin begged and was still unheard.

"I would thank you, if it was a gift of love." That bad feeling Anakin's gut was growing. He started walking towards Padme.

"No, Anakin- no…"

"Palpatine was right. Sometimes it is the closest you cannot see. I loved you too much, Padme." Anakin turned away in time to see himself raise his hand and make a fist.

No.

Anakin whirled around to see Padme unable to breath. Anakin ran over to Vader and tried to release his hands from a fist. Anakin went right through Vader. Sithspit. He couldn't be heard, seen, he couldn't touch anything, or defend his wife. Anakin felt and was utterly helpless. There was nothing he could do.

Even though he wouldn't be heard Anakin turned around to Obi-Wan. "Help her." He asked- no begged. As much as it hurt to admit Obi-Wan was Padme's only hope.

"Let her go Anakin." Vader's answer to Obi-Wan's demand was a snarl.

"You will not take her from me!" You've already taken her from us.

"Let her go!"

"Never!"

Padme fell to the ground and Anakin ran over her. Anakin searched through the force for an answer. She was still alive but barely so. Obi-Wan knelt next to him; their knees almost touching. After Obi-Wan had checked through the force, like Anakin had only moments ago, that Padme was still alive Anakin's former Master turned his attention back on Vader.

"Anakin what have you done?" That it seems was the question of the hour.

"You turned her against me," Vader snarled. Vader burnt like a dying star in the force while Obi-Wan exuded sadness. Anakin tried to shut out the force- the only thing that worked for Anakin- but it was overwhelming. Or maybe he was too overwhelmed. It didn't matter though. Not when Anakin could feel how weak Padme was. How close to dying she was. And it was his fault.

It was all his fault.

* * *

Obi-Wan thought he had endured enough.

The last few days had taken their toll (no, the last few years - this war that had demanded the Jedi be Generals instead of Peace Keepers). He had failed Anakin and the Jedi - his family - were no more. Padme was dead. The Republic was as dead as the former Queen of Naboo was and out of the ashes of Republic that Obi-Wan had given everything to was the Empire that was ruled by Palpatine; the Sith the Jedi had been searching for all this time. Right under their noises. They had even worked for the very thing, the very person they fought against.

The only good thing that had come out of this was Luke and Leia. He supposed that if he and Anakin were never Jedi he would have been an uncle to them since he and Anakin were like brothers.

They had been brothers only just a few days ago but it felt much longer to Obi-Wan. How could it all go so wrong so fast?

Except it hadn't.

It had slowly came undone around them and they had been too blind to see it.

Obi-Wan let out a defeated breathe. He felt far older than his age. Far too old to keep enduring these painful, heartbreaking events the galaxy seemed to love to deal out.

And now the galaxy was demanding another sacrifice. The separation of Padme and Anakin's newly born children.

Obi-Wan gazed down the said babies. Luke already looked so much like his father had when he had been just a boy. Small patch of sandy blonde hair and wide innocent blue eyes that were currently closed from resting.

And Leia she already favored her mother but somehow Obi-Wan knew she would favor her father in attitude as he gazed down into her eyes. She already had Anakin's stubbornness, Obi-Wan thought as the baby refused to just rest like her twin brother had. Instead she favored to stare at him.

It was like her eyes were asking, no demanding what he was going to do in place of speaking. Something she was not capable of yet unless one counted the gibberish babies produced when they tried to speak coherently.

I'm sorry.

That was what Obi-Wan wanted to tell her (despite the fact she was just newly born...but she was strong in the force like her father so maybe she could already sense emotions of those around her) but the words were caught in his dry throat.

There were many transgressions Obi-Wan would have to apologize to her and Luke once they were old enough and it was time. But for now (if Obi-Wan could get the words to come out of his throat) Obi-Wan would apologize for what he, Bail, Yoda were about to do to the siblings.

Separating them from the only family they had.

Their mother had just died and Anakin had been consumed by Vader. So consumed one might think that Vader had killed Anakin because the Anakin Obi-Wan had known would have died before he laid a hand on someone he loved.

Leia reached up and touched Obi-Wan's face. Wiping away a tear on his face was what she had been doing Obi-Wan realized when she removed her tiny, so very tiny, fingers from his face that now glistened from the tear she had wiped.

It made Obi-Wan feel so much more worse. He didn't deserve comfort much less from her.

* * *

In the years to come Anakin would feel a mix of emotions of what he did during this time. Whilst Padme laid on the ground so close to death because of him and Obi-Wan & Darth Vader rushed off to duel.

He had chosen to stay with wife believing that these were her last moments (No her last moments turned out to be like his nightmares. Dying whilst given birth without him.) instead of following Obi-Wan and his husk of his body that oozed the dark side and hatred into the force.

He didn't regret staying with Padme but he did regret that he wasn't there for that duel.  
Something had happened besides his limbs being chopped off and being left to burn despite what Obi-Wan would tell him, lie to him in the future.

But he didn't figure that out during the last hours of Mustafar.

No he had stayed with his wife till Obi-Wan picked her up and left the planet that would cause such regret, such grief for Anakin whilst Mustafar would be place of mediation for Darth Vader.

(Yes. Life and the galaxy was that cruel and twisted. Or maybe it was Vader and Anakin's relationship that was so cruel and twisted...)

* * *

 **A/N: I own nothing. If I did there would be an Ahsoka live action movie by now.**

 **Two things you need to know:**

 **1\. This was not my plot bunny. It was actually minhui who came up with it and gave me the permission to write it.**

 **2.** **I based it mostly on Matthew Stover's novel Revenge of Sith instead of watching the actually Revenge of Sith because it was quicker (my parents own the book as well as the movie).**


	3. Chapter 3

By the time Anakin was finally seen by somebody he didn't care.

Why?

The woman he loved was dead. His child was dead (and he never had learnt if it really was a girl like he guessed by the baby kicking).

Least he didn't care until he saw who was able to see him. Then the anguish he felt was momentarily forgotten. It had been replaced by shock and disbelief.

"Qui-Gon," Anakin croaked out, his voice rough; the last twenty four hours had taken a toll.

Was this punishment? To be judged. To be haunted by the people he loved?

Anakin didn't care if Padme appeared to blame, shout out his indiscretions to him (because he was to blame and he deserved her anger) as long as he got to see her.

Got to see his mom too who would be to disappointed in how far he - Vader - had fallen.

He wondered if he would see Snips.

Or if he would be haunted the younglings Vader had slaughtered.

Maybe he would be punished further by seeing Mace Windu who would tell him how he had been right along. Anakin should never been allowed into the Order. He had been too old, to quick to anger, too cloaked by fear. (A hero with no fear the holonet had dubbed him. How wrong they had been.)

Anakin, after spending several minutes to gather his courage, looked up at the man that had freed him from slavery.

He was blue, was the first thought to come to Anakin's mind. The same shade of blue Anakin was. Anakin felt a wave of confusion crash over him as Qui-Gon looked down on him with sad, weary eyes.

"I'm not here to haunt you Anakin. I'm here to guide, to teach you like I once was suppose to."

"How did you know I thought you were here to hau-"

"You're projecting Anakin. Loudly," Qui-Gon added with an admonishing tone.

Anakin winced feeling like he was still just a padawan being told off by his Jedi Master. It was a very familiar feeling.

"What's been going on? With me being unheard or seen of until now. And why are we blue?" When Anakin asked the last part his incredulous easy to be heard by all but only Qui-Gon could hear.

"You died Anakin," Qui-Gon told him calmly; as if being told one was dead was something to be told in calm, dignified manner one would use to talk about the weather, how their family was doing, or some sort of other small talk Anakin had never exceeded at. That was more of Padme's cup of tea.

...Or it had been before she had been murdered along with their child by Vader's, Anakin's hands.

Anakin was too tired to react to the news. Or how calmly Qui-Gon had delivered the news. But what would you expect considering all that Anakin had been to forced to witness helpless in the last twenty four hours?

"But I didn't die," Anakin managed to get out despite the overwhelming exhaustion he felt in his bones.

Qui-Gon looked down on him. There wasn't anger in his gaze but only disappointment. Anakin held back a cringe at disappointing someone who he held in such high regard that only few had when it came to him. What couldn't Qui-Gon be just angry instead of only be disappointed? It would make it easier on Anakin if his Grand-Master was only angry at him.

But the universe wasn't a kind place. It never had been so why should it be now?

"The Darkside only brings death not life Anakin. When you choose to fall to the Darkside to save your wife and children you died again. Everything that makes you Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan former padawan, Padme's loving husband, the hopeful father of your unborn children, the unconventional Jedi Knight that did as good as any other Jedi Knight despite being out of the box died like you did on Mortis."

"What do you mean? I didn't die on Mortis. Ahsoka was the one to die."

"Yes my great-grand padawan. She is something else now..." Qui-Gon trailed off lost in thought.

Two things happened. Anakin noticed, immediately, that Qui-Gon had said is - is as in present tense.

Ahsoka was alive.

Anakin felt relief wash over him; comfort him because too many had died (by his light saber and hands) but least Ahsoka and Obi-Wan were alive.

The second realization was after Anakin had processed the reveal that his former padawan was in fact alive (for now, a morbid voice reminded him in his head) Anakin processed what Qui-Gon had said about Snips.

Despite the fact that she had left the Jedi Order and him - which hurt far more than the first at the time but now Anakin was thankfully for both these decisions because there was no doubt in his mind that Vader would have killed their former padawan - Anakin immediately snapped back into protectiveness over his former padawan.

"What do you mean she is something else now?" The sentence almost came out as a growl.

Qui-Gon smiled down on Anakin. Despite the poisonous words Sidious had told him about everyone else in Anakin's life that had lead to him doubting, hating, and eventually falling to the Darkside Anakin stilled cared. There was still hope for what was to come. Still a chance for Anakin to be the chosen one and bring balance to the force after all.

"Ahsoka is fine. It could even be viewed as even better than fine."

Anakin glared waiting for further explanation.

"Ahsoka became the embodiment of Light side of the force when the Daughter exchanged what was left of her life in place of your padawan on Mortis."

"What does that mean?" Anakin asked cautiously.

"Ahsoka can never truly die but by the dagger of Mortis-"

"Which is long gone," Anakin finished up.

"Destroyed yes. Gone no. Nothing is ever truly gone when it comes to the Force Anakin. We're proof of that are we not?"

Anakin decided to start asking the questions that had been bugging him instead of replying to that.

"What do you mean I died on Mortis?" Anakin asked now ready, open to the idea he had died on that dreadful planet.

"This is not been the first time you fallen to the Dark Side."

Anakin's throat was suddenly dry as he thought back, had the memories flash of the night had slaughtered the Tusken Raiders that had been responsible for his mother's death. He had even slaughtered the children that had played no role in his mother's demise.

Were Vader and him that different after all?

It took a minute before Anakin knew the answer. No. They were different but not as many aspects as he once thought, clung onto.

He never would hurt his wife and their child - wait, hadn't Qui-Gon said children not child?

Anakin despite the burning curiosity he felt pushed it back for now.

"How did I fall on Mortis and why don't I remember it?"

"I believe the Son showed you what has recently occurred and to prevent it you joined him. You fell to prevent what has become and will become. But playing fire with fire has never ended well not even for the best of reasons. As to how you don't remember, you were made to forgot. You could not be allowed to let the knowledge of a supposed concrete future that truly is always changing guide your actions even more than it already had. I do not know if your memories shall return now that you have died once again."

Anakin nodded. His throat still as dry as the weather of his home world. Now to ask the question that would leave a far more of a toll.

"Earlier you said children instead of child when you referred to Padme and I's child." It was more of statement that need an answer then it was a question.

"That was because Padme gave birth to twins."

Anakin's world stopped. Gave birth to twins. It replayed over and over in his head.

"They're alive?" Anakin croaked out.

* * *

 **A/N: Crossposted on archiveofourown. Disclaimer I own nothing.**


	4. Chapter 4

"Tatooine," Anakin repeated in disbelief.

Surely he must have heard wrong. There was no way, no logical reason reason Obi-Wan would allow his son to be raised in the planet that had caused such sorrow and hatred for Anakin. Qui-Gon had to joking...

His hearing must be frackled! That had to had to be it.

Qui-Gon looked at him with something akin to pity.

Dwang; there went his last pitiful hope.

"Why?" Anakin croaked out in defeat. The universe had to be taking revenge on him for Vader's actions.

"Vader would go there as soon as you would-" Which was never, Anakin thought. "before you learnt that Luke was there."

Okay, fair point but Anakin still hated the fair point. The track-record for Skywalkers and Tatooine was not a good one.

"What of Leia?" Anakin asked. He wasn't changing the subject to forget about it but because he could nothing about it.

"Bail Organa took her in."

Anakin nodded at the information instead of giving a reply. If one could peer into his mind they would see cogs turning in thought.

While he did think Bail would be a good father and had wished Padme's friend the chance to be one Anakin didn't like the idea.

"I get hiding in plain sight but Leia is my daughter. She'll be strong in the force and any force user will sense her. I doubt Sidious will ignore how much strength she emits in the force," Anakin pointed out.

As much as he hated, and oh did he, the idea of Luke on Tatooine least it made some sense. Despite how strong Anakin was in the force no one had sensed his presence in the Outer Rim till Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had arrived on Tatooine and discovered him.

Alderaan was now an Empire planet and Vader held no grudge against it like Tatooine so the Anakin's Sith self had no reason to avoid it.

Anakin combed his hair back from his eyes through his fingers; it was a nervous habit of his.

"There weren't that many options for the children," Qui-Gon reminded the Choose One.

Anakin childishly glared at his Grand-Master. That answer did nothing to help his fears that were bubbling in his stomach refusing to be ignored.

He didn't want Sidious or Vader finding Leia, who was right under their noses, and corrupting her or hurting her. Vader had shown no problems in harming Padme, Anakin's- well actually, as much as Anakin hated to admit it, their wife after he believed she had betrayed him.

Nor did he like the idea of Luke being raised on a Tatooine but there was absolutely nothing he could do.

Was there ever a time Anakin hated being helpless it most certainly was now. Anakin let out a pitiful groan as Qui-Gon looked down on him.

Anakin took a deep breathe before pushing his toxic mix of emotions away; emitting them into the Force. He had done enough self pity and letting fear control him; both those things had played a role in how Vader was born and Anakin dying.

Enough was enough.

Jaw clinched in concentration Anakin stood up and moved towards the door that in the last few days had multiple types medical droids coming and going through.

If Anakin was capable of feeling physical pain he wouldn't have been clenching his jaw so hard. He couldn't though but emotional pain, however, was something he could.

As much as Anakin dreaded the sight that would greet him in that room he needed to see what was going on. He had enough of letting the icy dragon claw his way to his heart and mind. Posioning them with it's ancient claws.

When Anakin had first became Obi-Wan's padawan all those years ago that now seemed like a lifetime ago- no, was a lifetime ago they had went on a minor mission where a star in a dead system had died. It had a been a sight, one Anakin had never forgotten even now when Anakin couldn't recall what that mission had been about.

Obi-Wan had simply told him: "It's the way of the universe, which is another manner of saying that it is the will of the Force. Everything dies. In time, even stars burn out."

There had been more to Obi-Wan's speech but that hadn't been part of the speech, along with the sight of a dead star, that had been what had been stuck- no, carved into Anakin's mind refusing to be forgotten.

Everything dies, it's the way of universe.

His mother was dead, murdered by the Tusken Raider that he had slaughtered after he had wept into what had been no longer his mother's body but a corpse that still had lingering false warmth on it despite the cold of a dessert night.

Padme was dead, murdered by Vader's hands that had once been Anakin's. Anakin didn't have to remember the sight because every time he closed his eyes he could see her. Nails turning the skin they dug into a blotchy red, petite hands wrapped around her pale throat, tears in her eyes that weren't caused by the heat of Mustafar but because he and Vader had broken her heart and now Vader was (had) taken her ability to breath.

Anakin was dead too. Unlike his mother and wife's death, it wasn't a violent death. The bitter irony of his insidious death was not lost on Anakin.

Subtle and harmful in after effects is the definition of insidious.

Well a effect Anakin mentally corrected as he finally gathered the courage to walk through the door and look upon what now was Vader. Who hadn't had the decency to die despite the injuries Obi-Wan had dealt him. What a shame, Anakin thought viciously.

The sight was not a pleasant one. If Anakin had any empathy for his Sith self he would have winced for Vader who now was more machine and monster that was burnt beyond recognition than man. But Anakin didn't have any empathy for Vader. If there had been any (even after the Temple massacre) it had most certainly died at the sight of his wife chocking before him.

The sight before him made Anakin feel a sense of righteous justice that he shouldn't being feeling as a Jedi Knight  
but still did.

Why?

Because now Vader looked the monster that he truly was instead of looking like Anakin; something the Sith Lord wasn't.

That feeling was obliterated immediately when his eyes landed on Sidious who was standing by a finally fully suited Vader.

No, not suited Anakin realized with something akin to pity (except Anakin couldn- wouldn't feel pity for the Sith monster that had murdered his wife) wiggling in his stomach. The feeling made Anakin more sick than drinking a cup of blue milk that had been left out in the heat of Tatooine for some time.

Vader was not only a slave to the Darkside but now was caged by the health support armor that Sidious had "saved" his Sith apprentice with. It made Anakin frown in thought. Sidious could have cloned replacement limbs for Vader during these days since the Mustafar incident instead of caging him in heavy armor that was sure to hurt. Expenses weren't a problem when you were the Emperor of the galaxy after all but Sidious hadn't done that.

Was this punishment for Vader's failure?

Or, Anakin mused morbidly, maybe Sidious did this on purpose so that Vader could draw strength in the Dark Side through the pain of the suit that would be constant reminder of what had occurred on Mustafar. (Which if this was the case Sidious was just being dramatic like Sith did have a tendency to be. After all, putting sand in Vader's footwear would do the trick.)

Anakin's frown grew. Why was it so easy to imagine the reasons behind of a Sith's actions?

It shouldn't be since Anakin was a Jedi but it was for him. Was it because he knew Palpatine for years? No that couldn't be it. He had known Palpatine for years yet, until recently, he only just learnt that the former Chancellor of the Republic was the Sith Master the Jedi had been looking for since the beginning of the Clone Wars. So why- Anakin's musings were interrupted by Vader speaking for the first time in days.

"Padme? Are you here? Are you all right?" Was asked not by the voice of Anakin Skywalker or even the all but growl of Darth Vader's voice but by a synthesized voice of a vocabulator.

"I'm sorry Lord Vader," Sidious crooned falsely sympathetic. "I'm afraid she died. It seems in your anger you killed her."

"No...no, it's not possible!" Vader screamed out but because of the vocabulator Anakin couldn't hear the passion behind the words. It's only through the Force, instead of hearing it, that he could feel it.

Anakin realized with an empty feeling in his stomach that Vader's vocabulator couldn't even begin to show the passion, the pain Vader was feeling if the machine was able to display such emotions.

In the Force Vader emitted his pain-no, the Force screamed the pain that Vader was feeling. The news hurt the Sith more than the loss of his limbs and the lava had. And Anakin...Anakin doesn't know how to handle this.

This being two things. First being the crash of disbelief, pain, grim acceptance, and last (but by-far not the least) grief. The second is that actually Vader feels these things, overwhelming so.

It's a bitter realization for Anakin and he doesn't know how to react to it. What does that say about him? What does this mean for Vader and the Sith's toxic heart?

Anakin doesn't know; he just does not know and he hates it. Honestly he thinks he might hate it more than the Tusken Raiders that took his mother from him.

Again, what does this mean for him? Anakin wondered as droids around him were destroyed by Vader.

Anakin had left the room after Vader had started wailing no. Qui-Gon was waiting for him outside in the hallway.

"Did you find what you were seeking?"

Anakin looked up at his Grand-Master. "No but I'm ready to learn. I want you to teach me about whatever we are," Anakin admitted to Qui-Gon.

Qui-Gon began to walk away from Anakin and the hallway where one could still hear the screams of Vader's vehement denial. Anakin dutifully (a rare occurrence) followed the man who had freed him from slavery.

"I'm glad you're willing to learn Anakin but I must admit to you that soon I'll have to depart and teach Yoda then Obi-Wan. Until that time I shall explain everything to you."

Anakin opened his mouth to ask how Obi-Wan was but thought better than to do so and shut his mouth. Obi-Wan wasn't fine because of Anakin and Vader's actions. There was no point in asking a question he already knew the answer to.

"How come I became this - whatever this is - yet didn't have any training? And where did you learn this training?" Anakin asked Qui-Gob as he silently hoped it wasn't Count Dooku that had taught Qui-Gon this. The idea of the Sith that Anakin had murdered being whatever they were was not appealing what so ever to the famous pilot.

"I believe it has to do with who you are," Qui-Gon confessed to his grand-padawan.

Anakin froze at the reminder of who he was.

"...How could I have been the Chosen One when all I have done is brought the galaxy in further imbalance?"

"Anakin I can only tell you what I believe. And what I believe is that you and Vader will bring balance to the Force and save the galaxy one day. Not today, not this year, but some time in the future you and Vader shall."

"Vader and I shall bring balance to the Force?" Anakin repeated in utter disbelief.

Qui-Gon stopped and turned around to face. He's face was solemn as well as worn.

"You and Vader are the same person. Yet, you two are two broken pieces of the same person. Together you and him are the Chosen One."

"But how? Vader is a Sith!?" Anakin questioned passionately. He was still not understanding what Qui-Gon was trying to convey. How could Vader help him save the galaxy from Sidious when they couldn't even save Padme.

Padme who Vader had murdered instead of saving. The very reason why Vader had been born. The reason why Anakin had fallen and died.

"The prophecy never states that the Chosen One would be a Jedi. It only states that the Chosen One would bring balance to the Force."

If Anakin hadn't already stopped moving he must surely would have frozen then and there.

"What?" Memories flashed through his mind rapidly. One of the last memories was that of his conversation with Ahsoka before she had left the Jedi Order.

If he wasn't dead Anakin probably would be feeling his eyes burn from unshed tears.

"I believed it was the will of the Force to train you as a Jedi though. When I couldn't fulfill that duty I asked Obi-Wan to as I was dying."

"Go," Anakin ordered. His voice reminded Anakin of Vader's growl. "To Yoda or Obi-Wan. I don't care where - just go! I need to be alone."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **1.) If I remember correctly the suiting of Vader actually took weeks.**

 **2.) I hate my family's drama as much as Anakin hates sand.**

 **3.) How did Anakin/Vader become a Force Ghost after he died in Star Wars canon?**

 **4.) Last but not the least: Anakin and Vader are the same person they're just two pieces of the same person. The Jedi and the Sith. However Anakin can do somethings that aren't "good" and Vader can do somethings that aren't "evil." (Which will be important later on.)**


	5. Chapter 5

His first thought is how much she looks like Padme (and it hurts more than words can convey). His eyes burn and, yet, tears never come. They never have since his death and they never will.

"Hello," Anakin says, greets Leia - his sleeping daughter - for the first time in her six years of life. Hello are his first words to her, Anakin realized, his eyes burn even more at the realization.

And the strangest thing happens. Big, beautiful, brown eyes (Padme's eyes) flutter open and glance at his direction. Anakin freezes even though she can't see him. No one is capable of seeing him except for Qui-Gon and that was six years ago.

"Why do you glow?" Leia bluntly, like a child can only be, asks.

There's a minute of silence. She can see me, repeats in Anakin's head.

Leia crawls from underneath her covers and her tiny feet touch can't touch the ground until she jumps off the bed in a blur of white night gown and brunette locks.

She walks over to Anakin barefoot. Her head tilted in curiosity and Anakin snaps out of his shock.

"I don't know," Anakin honestly answered.

"Are you blue because your sad?" She asks him innocently. His eyes burn but he doesn't cry; he can't cry.

"I'm not sad sky princess. I'm happy for the first time in years," he confesses to his baby girl.

"Sky princess?" Leia asks him, her right eyebrow lifted in disbelief.

It makes Anakin smile. Padme wasn't one to be bought by complements either. Leia's mother would be proud if she was here.

Anakin opens his mouth to explain before shutting it. He can no longer find it himself to smile. Anakin was Leia's father but so was Bail. Bail had taken in his daughter and raised her as his own despite the threat of Palpatine or Vader finding out. What right did Anakin had to have to selfishly snatch that away from Bail especially after everything the man had done for Leia? After doing everything Anakin could not?

The realization hurts but Anakin is done being selfish when selfishness is what got him in this mess.

"Because you're the princess of all the skys in the galaxy Leia," he lies to her far too easy than a father should. Or maybe fathers could lie with ease with to their children. Anakin didn't know because he never had one.

Brown eyes narrow at him and briefly Anakin wonders if Leia has another one of her mother's traits: telling when he was lying.

Instead of calling out his lie Leia just turns around and starts walking towards her bed. She stubbornly (a trait she got from both her parents) somehow manages to climb back into her bed despite how tiny she is.

She rests her head against the pillows, brown locks of hair a contrast to the white pillows, before she speaks again.

"Tell me a story," she orders and it makes Anakin smile. It's been six years and Anakin can't remember any of the stories he and Padme had bought to read to their child (that had actually been children) but Anakin is just happy to have the chance to read to one of his children.

"There once lived a boy on a dessert planet who was a slave just like his mother. The boy dreamt that one day when he was older and wiser he would free the slaves-"


	6. Chapter 6

Apparently children have imaginative friends instead of building them like Anakin had. Both Bail and Breha found it perfectly normal for Leia to have one but as Padme had told him once all things (good and bad) must come to an end.

In the end, it will be Anakin who makes it end. The realization hurts more than seeing Padme's ghost that had nothing more than an illusion, a lie that had even brought Vader to be suicidal.

Leia looked just like her mother and more than likely was going to take the same career as Padme but she was most certainly his child. She didn't have a love for flying nor was she a habitual stress tinkerer like he was at her age but it's there. It will be miracle if she survives growing up as a Senator's daughter. Thankfully, Bail is not a stupid man.

Leia is confined to her room because she has a fever is the excuse Bail uses to keep Leia away from the Empire Day celebration dinner. During this time Anakin tried to keep his pouting daughter entertained. Leia is Padme and his daughter as much as she Breha and Bail's daughter. If she wants to sneak out to the dinner to visit her parents than she would figure a way (if not multiple) to do so.

Anakin can't tuck his daughter in bed much less prevent Leia from escaping her room which would be disastrous considering Vader is attending the dinner.  
So he does what he can.

He has already finished the book series about a dark haired boy who went to a school to learn magic (which was like the Force but most needed words to use it)  
and killed a Dark Lord with his two best friends. It was good series to read. Perhaps a bit darker than the other stories Anakin had told or read for his daughter who turned the pages for him.

It was good for her though, Anakin realized grimly. He hated the idea of stealing her childhood naivety but Anakin would rather had it taken from him or Bail than anyone else. If Vader was to find out he wouldn't kill Leia like he had Padme. No, he would much worse. The Sith would use her as another weapon against the Emperor like he was training Galen to be. He would destroy their children if he ever found out about Luke and Leia. And that fate was far better than Palpatine or an Inquisitor finding Leia.

"So who was your least favorite character?" Leia asked.

Immediately without thought or any hesitation Anakin answered: "Dumbledore."

Leia who had sprawled out on bed laying on her back so she could keep him in the corner of her eye as she stared at the ceiling in boredom immediately rolls over and stares at him.

"Not Umbridge?" Leia asks him. Anakin felt the urge to laugh at how disbelieving Leia was of his answer and in a way he gets it. Umbridge was a nasty piece of work and Anakin did not like her at all but Dumbledore represented something to Anakin.

The twinkling eyed wizard reminded Anakin of how Sidious had been a kind grandfather he never had. A grandfather he willingly confessed everything to and had been manipulated into a weapon for. In a way Anakin and Harry were alike except Anakin had chosen the Darkside. But that wasn't completely true was it? The "Light side" wasn't squeaky clean was it? Sirius' imprisonment without trail reminded Anakin of the ghost prison that the Jedi had kept a secret.

Desperate times come desperate measures, the end justify the means, for the greater good and so on. It made Anakin sick how much the galaxy's problems were similar to the problems in a children's book series. Maybe if he had read this books things might have turned out differently, Anakin mused. He immediately rejected the thought. He was too stubborn and he had cared for Sidious because the man had always been kind to him ever since he meet him.

"Leia I want you to promise me something."

Brown eyes narrowed at how serious Anakin sounded.

"What is it?" Leia asked. Anakin smiled at how she asked instead of going ahead and blindly promising something. It made Anakin proud of her daughter but at the some time it was heartbreaking to see how much Padme was in her.

"I want you to keep reading the Harry Potter books and learn from them. There's a lot of lessons in there that I want you to learn from while I'm gone."

If he didn't already have her attention he would now.

"You're leaving!?" Leia cried out. Anakin winced. Despite knowing each other for two weeks Leia had grown attached to her friend her parents labeled "imaginative." It was probably because Leia had been kept away from others for her safety not just of her studies or because she was the princess.

"For a while but I will come back," Anakin promised.

"Why?" Leia asked with wide eyes.

"Because there's a boy out there who's the prince of the sky who I have yet to meet," Anakin explained as best he could without confessing who he and Luke were to her.

"When will you go?" Leia asked as her fingers habitually reached to play with her hair only to falter halfway. Her mother had recently started making Leia wear her hair in a bun since it was elegant (like a princess should be) and kept Leia from being distracted by her long hair.

Since he couldn't say once Vader was off the planet Anakin had to think of answer which took a minute of silence and Leia stubbornly glaring at him for an answer.

"Tomorrow most likely," was the answer Anakin finally came up with.

"Will you read to me before you go?" Leia asked as she crawled under the covers of her bed.

Anakin smiled. "Of course."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **1.) I swear I will cover more of the time skip in the next chapter where we will meet Luke and Obi-Wan.**

 **2.) There were a two Darth Vader comic references in this chapter. If you're curious about them feel free to ask and I'll explain.**

 **3.) If you're curious who Galen is I'll go ahead and explain. Galen Marek is Darth Vader's secret apprentice who Darth Vader was going to use to overthrow the Emperor. Galen is the opposite of Anakin Skywalker. Why do I say this? Galen is strong in the Force (as in Vader thought Galen was the Jedi Master instead of Galen's father despite Galen being just a kid) and raised to be a Sith like Anakin was with the Jedi. Vader uses Galen to start the Rebellion and during this time Galen falls in love with Juno and at the end of the first game when Juno asks Galen's Jedi Master why he helped Galen when he knew who Galen was this whole time. The Jedi answers that there was good in Galen despite being a Sith and that good was his love for Juno. Which is why I think of Galen as the opposite of Anakin.**

 **4.) Originally I was just going to have Anakin tell Obi-Wan he was not going to be Harry Pottering Luke (which is to say having Luke fight two Siths with little training) and when Obi-Wan asked who Harry Potter was Anakin was going to say it was a book series he read to Leia. I probably will still do that it's just I binge read Like a Phoenix by TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel yesterday and this chapter kinda wrote itself.**


End file.
